We recently completed an ambitious conversion of this prominent Victorian family house with a stepped motif composed of a carapace, core and ribbon. The existing period envelope, or carapace, remains largely intact at the protected front façade, gradually deconstructing toward the rear, embracing and protecting the core.
The contemporary and largely open core arranges itself within the carapace to accommodate a sequence of functions at various levels. The role of the ribbon is to tie together the carapace and core, balancing privacy with connectivity. It is composed of natural light entering in shafts from the rear garden.
In planning and conservation terms, the contemporary core and ribbon opens to the rear of the house and progressively fades from view toward the façade.